Last week was busier than expected… Not surprising however, with so many planets journeying through Aries. I could feel my desire to move things forward -- especially projects that had lingered on my to-do-list for a while.

This week's headline items: This is a big week! Mercury leaves its shadow on Tuesday afternoon; the Full Moon in Virgo becomes exact on Thursday afternoon and Saturn starts to slow down on Saturday — getting ready for its 5-month retrograde phase. Daylight Saving Time begins on Sunday (March 8th) here in the US (already!)

There will also be three Moon VoC phases this week: Tuesday early morning (for 26 hours), Thursday afternoon (for 30.5 hours), and Sunday evening (for almost 12 hours).

Monday: the Moon remains in fun and attention-loving Leo all day. it will journey there until Wednesday morning. We have a chance to appreciate ourselves and our lives -- and to connect to the heart. Hand out as many compliments as possible, they will be deeply appreciated :-)

Fun, games and romance are a big part of this energy. You might also enjoy spending time with little ones. What are you most grateful for today? What would be heaps of fun? What would be so much fun, you squeak just thinking about it?

Also on Monday: The day starts with a focus on exploring our beliefs and questioning our commitments. Throughout the day, we have a lot of opportunities to get things done and move exciting projects forward; lots of great connections and ideas are possible. We are optimistic -- and we certainly have plenty of energy today ;-)

Tuesday starts with a 26-hour Moon void of course (VoC), from 3:48am until 6:58am EST (Wednesday morning). Use this intuitive time to find a balance between your head and heart — and between intellectual stimulation/improving your future and doing things that bring you joy and connect you to your heart.

As always during VoC, take it easy -- go with the flow and avoid starting anything brand-new. Routine tasks work very well during this time -- and if at all possible, plan your day ahead of time…

Tuesday: the Moon remains in fun and attention-loving Leo all day (see Monday for details). At 7:25am EST, a long-lasting, harmonious Jupiter/Uranus aspect becomes exact. We started to feel this aspect from Feb. 12th on; it will be strong until March 26th. While it lasts, we can bring innovation, courage and our unique spark to everything we do, express and create.

We also yearn for excitement, adventure, and fun -- exciting outdoor activities might appeal. It is much easier now for us to break away from old belief structures. This wish to be independent and "experimental" helps us connect to our creative processes in a new way.

Do you have your Ascendant or personal planets in 12-18 degrees of Leo, Aries or Leo? If so, you will feel more blessed by this aspect.This is also true for those of us who have our Ascendant or Sun-sign in Sagittarius or Aquarius (Jupiter is the ruler of Sagittarius; Uranus is the ruler of Aquarius).

Also on Tuesday, around 1pm EST: Mercury is leaving its shadow phase at 17 degrees of Aquarius! We are ready to process (and share) brand-new information.As you may recall from earlier blog entries, if you want to buy, sell or ship big-ticket items, it's best to avoid the shadow periods before and after Mercury goes retrograde.

This is especially true if the items you are thinking about getting are connected to transportation (cars, flight tickets, etc.) or communication (phone, computer, i-pad, etc.) The shadow phase having ended, feel free to buy, sell and book whatever your heart desires! Feel free to also read my blog on the subject ;-) Note however that the Moon is Void of Course until tomorrow morning!!!

Wednesday at 6:58am EST, the Moon moves into detail-oriented, practical Virgo, where it will journey until Friday evening. This turns our focus toward practical activities. Solving problems, making order out of confusion, helping others: all bring emotional satisfaction.

Health might come into focus. We notice the parts that make up the whole; this is a great time to see if our daily routines (eating, work, self-care, etc.), align with our long-term goals. This Moon placement starts the build up towards the Full Moon (exact on Thursday afternoon)

Wednesday late morning, a harmonious Venus/Jupiter aspect becomes exact at 10:14am EST. We started to feel this aspect from last Sunday on; it will be strong until This Friday. This aspect brings a good dose of optimism, faith and a sense of the "bigger picture" to our relationships and finances. We tend to relate to others in a positive (even inspiring) manner; as you can imagine, it is thus much easier to make social contacts.

Our outlook is cheerful and hopeful, the atmosphere cooperative -- it's a great time for winning people's enthusiasm. We are more optimistic and trusting with friends and lovers. We might feel an urge to connect to people from other countries or foreign cultures, just to have an adventure, or widen our horizons. Active fun and joyful exploration are favored.

Financially, there might be a tendency to spend more than usual, as we feel confident that an abundance of resources is available to us. There are indeed definitely plenty of opportunities to be had, financial and otherwise, especially in connection with the stock-market (or anything that involves taking a risk). Children, creative endeavors, educational businesses or endeavors, the entertainment industry and the travel industry are also highlighted ;-)

Do you have your Ascendant, Career Point (or personal planets) in 11-17 degrees of Aries, Leo or Sagittarius? If so, you will be most blessed by this aspect. This is also true for those of us who have our Ascendant or Sun-sign in Taurus, Libra or Sagittarius (Venus is the ruler of Taurus and Libra; Jupiter is the ruler of Sagittarius).

Wednesday afternoon, a Venus/Uranus alignment in 14.5 degrees of Aries becomes exact at 1:46pm EST. We started to feel this aspect from last Sunday on; it will be strong until This Friday. This alignment gives us the opportunity to experiment with a new way of relating to others. Freedom plays a big part in our interactions with others.

It's a favorable time for social meetings and events. Do something different, something unusual, with one-on-one relationships -- break the routine. You might experience some unexpected interactions during this time. As best as you can, stay open and flexible: Fresh air is blowing through your relationships.

We are also ready to experiment with regards to financial undertakings. Anything involving electronics, technology, the internet, metaphysics, the arts, and group activities in general would be a good energetic match. This is not the best time to make long-term financial investments, unless you had an intuitive vision about something ;-)

Do you have your Ascendant, Career Point (or personal planets) in 11-17 degrees of Aries, Libra, Cancer or Capricorn? If so, you will be more affected by this aspect.This is also true for those of us who have our Ascendant or Sun-sign in Taurus, Libra or Aquarius (Venus being the ruler of Taurus and Libra, while Uranus is the ruler of Aquarius)

Also on Wednesday, a challenging Venus/Pluto aspect. This will be exact at 10:17pm EST. We started feeling this aspect from Monday on; it will be strong until Saturday. The Universe is asking us to stretch and grow. Venus represents our relationships and that which we most value; these areas may undergo major transformations. This aspect challenges us to find meaning in our life through partnerships. We must now uncover the deeper layer of our life.

With Pluto in the mix, social interactions could be intense. You may see changes in financial status or relationships. In the latter, things erupt that have been brewing beneath the surface for some time; this may prove disruptive: As best you can, empower rather than disempower. We may become obsessed with our commitments and our partner during this time.

We may also experience Pluto through our partner, experiencing manipulation and controlling behaviors; we must be especially wary of resisting change and holding onto negative attachments. It's time to let go of destructive attachments and connections. How can we grow and evolve in our relationships? Is there a relationship that we need to grow and evolve out of?

This aspect could also express itself through sexual tension; there is a strong desire for love in its physical expression. However, keep your standards high, so you can come upon a love that fulfills all your needs -- definitely don't start a relationship with "just anyone", in order to avoid being alone. Remember to be true to your own values; wait for someone with whom you can have a relationship based on trust, love and a genuine desire for intimacy -- and work on being worth finding, in the meantime :-)

Do you have your Ascendant, Career Point (or personal planets) in 12-18 degrees of Aries, Capricorn, Libra or Cancer? If so, you will be more affected by this aspect.This is also true for those of us who have our Ascendant or Sun-sign in Taurus, Libra or Scorpio (Venus being the ruler of Taurus and Libra, while Pluto is the ruler of Scorpio)

Thursday: the Moon remains in detail-oriented, practical Virgo all day (see Wednesday morning for details).

As mentioned above, the Moon’s entrance into Virgo on Wednesday morning started the energetic build up towards the Full Moon; this is exact today (Thursday at 1:05pm EST) in almost 15 degrees of Virgo.

A Full Moon is always an opposition between the Moon and the Sun. During this time, we seek balance, alignment and integration around two perspectives that are apparently polar opposites. Very often we experience this (and achieve it) through our interactions with others... therefore relationships of all kinds are highlighted during Full Moons. This month, the Moon in Virgo opposes the Sun in Pisces.

Pisces is all about spirit, intuition, mysticism, metaphysics, our ability for feeling/sensing things -- it perceives waves of potential. The Piscean quest leads to the realization that we can all bring light, love and compassion to everything we do -- without slipping into helplessness, victimization and martyrdom.

Where Pisces is all about the non-material, Virgo is all about matter, reason, science, rational thinking and discernment — it focuses on the particular, it analyzes. Its spiritual task is to move from judgment to discernment, humiliation to humility, servitude to service.

So this Full Moon asks twin questions: Where do you need to be more selective? More accepting?

Intellect measures, compares, and categorizes. It prefers the linear, the sequential -- yet the natural world is complex and non-linear. Everything in the Universe is made up of energy so everything is interconnected. This Full Moon invites us to integrate matter with spirit, rational with intuitive, clarity of mind with our open heart. Can we also find synergy between intellect and feeling, discernment and compassion, order and chaos, practical thinking and imagination?

We could also choose to mirror this on the collective (and even institutional) level. What might be possible if we integrated the material/rational worldview with a more holistic one -- a worldview that encompassed the complexity of life and the interconnectedness between all living beings...

The Uranus/Pluto Square was a powerful part of the last several “lunations” (New and Full Moons), bringing an opportunity for radical change on all levels. The same is true of this month’s Full Moon -- in fact, this seventh and last square is intensifying as it moves toward becoming exact on March 16th. The cosmic call for change therefore also intensifies, and with it, the need for creativity and courage.

Squares mark turning points: The visions seeded at the time of the conjunction undergo a shift and move forward. In this case, the conjunction between Uranus and Pluto took place in the mid ‘60s. The primary shift of this final Square in the series is the transformation of our awareness into a higher, more unified vibration. We now have tremendous energetic support for the release of old beliefs and the realization of our full potential.

Jupiter’s trine to Uranus brings additional cosmic support, giving us courage, and sparking our creativity and ability to see the bigger picture. Venus (in alignment with Uranus) trines Jupiter and squares Pluto -- yet another layer, one that invites us to make a quantum leap forward. Mars joins with Uranus on March 11th, triggering a move forward and making the necessary changes in our lives... once and for all.

We are being invited to transcend outdated thinking so that radical change and progress can occur: We can only “do different” if we can “see different”. This Full Moon urges us to be courageous, open minded and innovative... but also to consider the higher good of all concerned: “Radical” does not mean “aggressive”, let alone “violent”.

Do you have your Ascendant, Career Point (or personal planets) in 13-17 degrees of Virgo, Pisces, Gemini or Sagittarius? If so, you are more affected by this month's Full Moon. This is also true for those of us who have our Ascendant or Sun-sign in Leo or Cancer (the Sun rules Leo; the Moon rules Cancer).

Right after the Full Moon becomes exact, we enter a 30.5-hour Moon void of course (VoC); from 1:36pm until 7:52pm EST (Friday evening). Use this intuitive time to get organized: Take a look at your daily routines -- exercise, eating habits, work routines, etc. -- so you can accomplish more in the world and manifest the things you feel truly passionate about.

As best as you can, go with the flow — and remember, while this is actually an energizing time for existing projects, it’s definitely best to avoid starting anything brand-new. Routine tasks work very well during this time -- and if at all possible, plan your day ahead of time…

Thursday evening, an opportune Sun/Pluto aspect becomes exact at 7:19pm EST. We started to feel this aspect from Tuesday on; it will be strong until Saturday. This is an opportunity to bring a sense of compassion and creativity to whatever needs restructuring or rebuilding.

It’s also an opportunity to notice how obsessed we’ve become about manifesting something real and soften our approach a little. Remember: an opportunity is not automatically given to us; we have to make something of it.

Do you have your Ascendant, Career Point (or personal planets) in 13-17 degrees of Pisces, Capricorn, Scorpio or Taurus? If so, you will be more aware of this opportunity. This is also true for those of us who have our Ascendant or Sun-sign in Leo or Scorpio (the Sun rules Leo; Pluto is the ruler of Scorpio)

There are no exact aspects between planets today -- and we have a Moon VoC until 7:52pm EST --so today is perfect for receiving healing, therapy or coaching. You could also do something creative... or simply rest.

Friday at 7:52pm EST, the Moon moves into harmony-loving, balance-seeking Libra, where it will journey until Monday morning. The energy of the Libra Moon wants to maintain equal relationships: we thus tend to spend more time on diplomacy -- making compromises, negotiating, practicing graciousness, balancing, etc.

We can better set aside our emotions, to achieve the peace we desire; the shadow side of this is a tendency to avoid direct confrontations. We see both sides -- and may also fear loss of approval -- so we can't decide. As best as you can, find your inner balance with this... and communicate what needs to be said with grace and charm.

Saturday: the Moon remains in harmony-loving, balance-seeking Libra all day (see Friday evening for details).

Saturday late evening, a Sun/Chiron alignment in 17 degrees of Pisces becomes exact at 11:21pm EST. We started to feel this aspect from Wednesday on; it will be strong until next week Tuesday. It gives us an opportunity to heal insecurities or shame through conscious awareness.

It will help to stay grounded — connected to the Earth and your body. If waves of feeling come up, let them -- simply observe the waves. Are you the wave or the ocean (for whom the wave is just a small part of the whole)? Allow the waves to wash ashore then return to the ocean.

Do you have your Ascendant, Career Point (or personal planets) in 14-20 degrees of Pisces, Virgo, Gemini or Sagittarius? If so, you will be more aware of this alignment. This is also true for those of us who have our Ascendant or Sun-sign in Leo (the Sun rules Leo)

Also on Saturday: Saturn starts its station in almost 5 degrees of Sagittarius -- "stationing" is when a planet moves more slowly through the sky. When a planet stations, its energy becomes more "exalted"; in the case of Saturn, this means we all feel the need to more fully take a look at our beliefs.

Saturn has to do with facing reality -- and doing what needs to be done -- so we can fully understand the practical implications of our reality, and the consequences of our past actions. Saturn also represents our structures, responsibilities, commitments and ability to "do" life, on life's terms.

As spirit beings in a physical world, it's best to observe the laws of the physical world. The sooner we learn to "play by the rules", the easier life gets. Saturn also represents time and the "domain" of time: growing up, maturing, understanding our limitations, setting healthy boundaries with others, living with integrity, being serious and focused on building something of purposeful value to society.

Saturn is our teacher. If you had a cosmic teacher, what would your personal "class" be in, right now? Where are you being asked to look at your beliefs and became more mature? What calls for a commitment towards a larger truth? What will time do?

As best as you can during the time of the station, bring flexibility and open-mindedness to any frustrations. It will last until March 20th -- and Saturn will start its 5-month retrograde phase on March 14th… more on that next week ;-)

Do you have your Ascendant, Career Point (or any personal planets) in 3-6 degrees of Sagittarius, Gemini, Virgo or Pisces? If so, you will be more affected by this station. This is also true for those of us who have our Ascendant or Sun-sign in Capricorn, since Saturn is the ruler of Capricorn.

Sunday: the Moon remains in harmony-loving, balance-seeking Libra all day (see Friday evening for details). In the US, the clocks move backwards at 2 am, for the start of Daylight Savings Time. That “extra” hour of light means we can be more productive, awake and outgoing.

Between Sunday very early morningand early afternoon, we may need to make some adjustments and find creative ways to work with the energies at play: On the one hand, we need to collaborate with others and play nice; on the other, we feel a deep desire to be authentic and truthful about what we want to build long-term. We also need to balance taking care of ourselves with collaboration and socializing.

Sunday at 9:24pm EDT, we enter an almost 12-hour Moon void of course (VoC) that last until 9:10am EDT (Monday morning). Use this intuitive time to connect and share your thoughts and ideas with like-minded people. As always during VoC, take it easy -- go with the flow and avoid starting anything brand-new.

A head's up for next Monday: the Moon remains in harmony-loving, balance-seeking Libra until 9:10am EDT (see Friday evening for details). At that time, the Moon moves intopassionate, all-or-nothingScorpio, where it will journey until Wednesday evening. We feel emotions on a deeply personal level.

We are motivated by the desire to get to the bottom of things -- superficiality won't work for us now -- and we instinctively read between the lines. The Moon in Scorpio urges us to uncover our own power; it's an excellent time to rid ourselves of old fears and limiting habits. This tends to be an emotionally colored, all-or-nothing, black or white experience -- it can therefore be an intimate, passionate time.

As best as you can, avoid manipulation, brooding and suspicion; instead, open to the wealth of your innermost feelings -- decide to go deeper, allowing all feelings to surface, if they need to. Embrace all of who you are. Know thyself, love thyself and you shall be set free. Remember: a deep love of all that we are will connect us to the Power within; Fear causes "Force" to show up -- and is ultimately what disempowers ourselves and others.